Desire
by 109 katara
Summary: Morden day Avatar with plenty of shippings like jetara, zutara, kataang, taang, sukka
1. The Park

Desire

Chapter 1

"Zuko? Zuko! Hello?" Jet's hand blurred in front of Zuko's eyes as he franticly waved it in front of his face. "Did you even hear what I said?"

"What? No sorry" Zuko said sheepishly, "I was thinking about her"

"Who?" Jet said obviously irritated.

"Her! Her with the skin like milky coffee and eyes you could swim in. The sun comes out every time I see her. It pushes the dark clouds covering my soul, pushes them right away, and lets me see the truth. She is the one for me."

"Who?" Jet repeated.

"The fit waitress who started working in the café round the corner" Zuko said annoyed that Jet did not have the same romantic mindset as him and obviously, though he was joking when really he could not truer. Not even to himself.

"Oh" Jet's eyes shined with realization, "She is fiiine!"

"Yeah! I said that!" Zuko's eyes burnt with fire and irritation of no one understanding him.

"Really? I just heard stuff about coffee and swimming?" Jet said tussling his hair as he glanced at the girls sitting near the lake.

Zuko and Jet were sitting on a bench in the park enjoying the last few days of summer holidays. Well that is how Zuko would describe it. Jet would say 'trying to score some chicks'. Though they had different outlooks on life, Jet and Zuko had been friends for as long as either of them could remember.

"I wonder if she's in our year?" Jet said thoughtfully, "It would be fun if she was." A sly smile crept onto his face. By 'fun' Zuko knew Jet meant snogging and Zuko did not want to know what else!

"I thought you like those girls over there?" Zuko said inclining his head towards the lake.

"Yeah but now I've got bigger and more beautiful fish to fry!" Jet was getting up to leave. "See you on Monday Zu-Zu" Zuko hated being called that! He watched Jet walk ou of the park knowing he'd stop by the café. Zuko would've loved be anywhere but there when Jet was flirting with girls but that was his only way home, right past the café.


	2. The Café

Chapter 2

_Katara_

Katara was so tired from being on her feet all day and she was just considering closing the café early when the bell above the door tinkled and someone walked in. It was a boy who came here often and tried to flirt with her but she wasn't interested, he wasn't her type. Sighing inwardly she walked over and said with forced politeness,

"Can I take your order?"

"Um…yeah I'll have a cappuccino please" he said trying to coax a smile out of her.

"Sure" said Katara forcing the corners of her mouth upwards. She walked back to the counter and pressed a few buttons on the coffee machine. When she peeked over the top of the machine while the cup was being filled she saw Zuko heading towards the café. Katara's eyes lit up hoping that he'd come in and sit down. She knew his name but she wanted to know more. He didn't try and push her around or flirt obsessively and though he wasn't 'sweet' or 'cute', he was dangerous. The scar across his eye told her that and she liked it liked him. She hoped that he went to her new school; it would be nice to know someone there other than her older brother Sokka. Unfortunately Zuko walked straight past not bothering to even glance through the window. Katara served the boys coffee disappointedly.

"Here enjoy" she said shoving the coffee on the table.

"My name is Jet" he said

"Cool" Katara wasn't interested she just wanted to go home.

"You're Katara right?" Jet persisted.

"Um...yeah" Katara reluctantly agreed, not sure how much she should to give away to Jet.

"So where do you go to school?" Jet said trying (and failing) to sound disinterested.

"No-where at the moment," Katara saw Jet's face fall in confusion. Another inward sigh and Katara gave him the benefit of the doubt. Flirting was probably just his way of getting to know someone. "But I'm starting Ba Sing Se High School next term. Do you know it?" Another forced smile and Jet was happy again.

"Yeah! I go there! Who's your form tutor?" Jet was letting his excitement get out of control. It was so obvious that he wanted them to be in the same form.

"Master Paku. Who do you have?" Katara asked trying to be polite.

"Oh man!" Jet exclaimed in disappointment, "I mean I have Bumi."

"Isn't that Mr Bumi?" Katara was curious now.

"No just Bumi. He's a bit mad but extremely fun to have as a form tutor!" A smile was spreading across Jet's face, glad that Katara was taking an interest.

"What does he teach?" Katara had only ever had one teacher in her whole school before and even then she dropped out at eight to help look after her tribe. She wanted to hear more about this mad teacher.

"He mainly teaches earth bending but I think he also teaches history of the earth kingdom." Jet was enjoying himself, she seemed so interested and Jet didn't let the opportunity pass him by. He would get to know her first then ask her out. 'No-one canresist me' he thought silently to himself.

"Wow this school sounds amazing!" Katara was truly astounded, "What's Master Paku like?"

"I don't know I've never had him. He mainly teaches water tribe enrichment", Jet said truthfully.

"Ooo, what's that?" Katara said inquisitively.

"Well if you're a bender he'll teach you water bending if not you'll do swimming and other water sports."

"Wow!" Katara was amazed.

"Yeah we have our own pool with a wave machine so you can surf and you get to go on trips to white water rafting and water skiing!" Jet said proudly "Well I don't but you probably will." He added with a grin.

"So what do you do for en-enrichment?" Katara questioned tripping over the new word.

"Well I'm a warrior so I learn to fight" Katara looked at him in awe, "Yeah it's pretty cool, Hook Swords are my favourite weapon."

For the first time since moving Katara felt excited about starting this new school. The time ticked by as Jet told her all about the school and making jokes along the way. Jet made her laugh and Katara started to warm to him, letting her icy barrier down.

Out of the corner of her eye, Katara saw the clock. "Aw shit!"

"What's the matter?" Jet looked concernedly at Katara.

"It's five o'clock! I should have left half an hour ago!" Katara was rushing around franticly turning everything off. "Look I'm sorry Jet but I'm going to have to kick you out" She paused for a second to give him an apologetic look before rushing into the back room to grab a small, thin blue jacket with a white fluffy hood trim and a bag decorated with traditional water tribe insignia.

"It's okay," Jet said as they walked towards the door. Once they were outside Jet offered: "I'll walk you home if you like?"

"No it's fine," Katara dismissed while locking the door, "I know my way...I think..." Katara looked around confusion flooding her mind, "Actually can you show me 217 Kyoshi Avenue?"

"Yeah sure" Jet said casually trying to calm the panic he saw rush into Katara's deep blue eyes, "It's this way." Jet took her arm and turned a sharp right.

"Thanks" Katara said gratefully. She pulled her arm out of Jet's and as an excuse started searching in her bag for her cell. She pressed a few buttons before putting it to her ear and saying: "Hello?..Hi are you at home?..Ok sorry I'm late, I just got held up..No, I'm fine..No, I'm with Jet..Yes a _boy_!..How old? He's um...?" She looked at Jet with a pleading stare and he answered by mouthing 'sixteen'

"He's sixteen." Katara said back into the phone, "No he's not too old!..He's still at school!" Katara held her cell away from her ear as a male voice ranted out of it. "Sorry" she said looking at Jet begging with all her might that he wouldn't take offence.

"It's okay," he said seeming to understand, "Dad" Jet guessed.

"No brother actually," Katara said, "He's in your year. You might know him."

_Jet_

"Maybe," Jet said thinking about all the water tribe boys in his year. "What's his name?"

"S-" the rant had ceased from her phone, "Sorry" she whispered as she put the phone back to her ear, "Look I'll be home in ten minuets..Yes! Bye Sokka."

Jet tensed at Sokka's name. Jet knew that Sokka would tell Katara about the fights. For some reason Sokka disliked Jet and unfortunately Sokka always seemed up for a fight and often they had it out on the field. Zuko would usually take a back seat but if Jet and his freedom fighters (that's what they nicknamed themselves) were ever in serious trouble, Zuko would do some fancy fire bending to scare the others off, never hurt them no. Zuko would never hurt anyone but his scar often told people a different story.

"So Sokka?" Jet said trying to still the nervous butterflies in his stomach, "He's your brother?"

"Yeah. Do you know him?" Katara asked.

"A little, we don't share many classes." Jet pondered a little, "Sometimes we have warrior training together when one teacher is off sick." Jet was hoping against hope that Sokka wouldn't ban Katara from seeing him. Jet looked at Katara out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was an independent girl and even if Sokka banned her she'd still find away to see him.

"Here we are then," Jet said abruptly stopping outside a baby blue house with a snow white door and a water drop shaped knocker. Katara walked up two steps and turned to face Jet who she was now taller than.

"Thanks for walking me home and..." Katara's sentence trailed off. She slowly started to lean towards Jet. Seizing the moment Jet bent up to close the gap between them. Their lips brushed and Katara faster than anything turned around and sprinted up the stairs into her house.

Jet stood there dumbfounded at what just happened. He saw the T.V. on behind the netted curtain at Katara's window. Someone started to get up so Jet hastily turned and trotted down the road to catch the bus that would take him home.


	3. Monday Morning

**Next chapter (finally!) Please review this time or I'll just stop! (I mean it!)**

* * *

Chapter 3

_Monday morning. Zuko_

Zuko sighed as he turned off his alarm. He lay back down thinking of the day ahead. He might see Katara today. And Jet. He hadn't seen Jet since the day in the park, they hadn't even talked on the phone. Of course, Zuko hadn't actually tried to contact his friend but he didn't want to hear all the details of that afternoon in the café.

"Come on nephew, get up" Iron said cheerfully, "You'll be late."

"Don't care" Zuko mumbled into his pillow, "_They _don't care!"

"Ok Zuko. But you have to get up anyway!" His uncle said walking towards the door.

"Huh?" Zuko bothered to lift his head up slightly.

"I've made a brand new flavour of tea for breakfast!" Iron said poking his head round the door. Zuko heard him humming a tune as he trotted down the stairs. Zuko sighed again, got up and a t-shirt off his bedroom floor, he shoved it on and pulled on a pair of skinny jeans. He grabbed a black hoodie and went downstairs from his little attic room. The walls and slanted roof was covered in Zuko's favourite bands like Paramore, All American Rejects, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. He found his bag and a biro on his uncle's desk.

"Hey Uncle!" Zuko called coming down the stairs into the tea shop kitchen from which smells wild flower teas were emitted. Zuko grinned to himself as he remembered the unfortunate incident when Iron tried to make tea out of the poisonous White Jade Bush because he thought it was the extremely rare White Dragon bush, which is alleged to make a tea 'so delicious it's heart-breaking.' That's what his uncle said. It is now Iroh's lifelong ambition to find the White dragon Bush and make the famous tea. Zuko heard Iroh humming 'Girls from Ba Sing Se'

"Yes nephew?" Iroh said poking his head round the door.

"I need some copper pieces for the bus" Zuko was searching in his rucksack.

"Okay sure." Iroh came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on an apron which covered his vast middle. The apron once white was stained with bright colors of the teas he was always concocting, and had an extra length of string to keep it in place.

"What about Jet?" he continued, going to his money pot. Zuko sighed he usually got a lift with Jet but he hadn't called confirming he would, so Zuko would have to get the bus with Chan and Reon-Jon.

"I haven't heard from him since that day in the park last week." Zuko practically growled thinking of what Jet probably did that day. In the café. Zuko thought back to the day he sat in the café and Katara readily came over and got his order. It was very busy that day but Zuko enjoyed sitting there, he sipped his coffee and watched Katara glide between tables serving the customers there. He watched the way she laughed and smiled and though Zuko thought they were the most beautiful things he would ever saw he noticed that she was not completely happy. They did not quite touch her eyes. They remained dull, a dark flat sea. This worried Zuko that she was hiding something that had changed her life, something that had taken all the happiness out of her. And this _something_ Zuko thought he would never know himself. But in reality, Zuko had already suffered as Katara though neither knew it. Later when all the customers trickled out of the door Katara had sat down with Zuko to talk. He noticed that now when she smiled a faint twinkle came to her eyes but was covered by the mist of something else other than her big secret. It was more recent. Zuko remembered how she'd let her hair down from its tight plait. It was slightly wavy and often she would look down covering her face with her fringe, shy, then looking up, and smiling through her eyelashes. They talked for ages but at five o'clock Katara had to go.

"I'll walk you home if you like?" he had offered. She had accepted as long as Kyoshi Avenue was not out of his way.

"No, no." he'd replied, "My uncle owns a tea shop two streets away." They talked about that for a while. When they got to her house, she stood on the second step and kissed him lightly on his cheek. He remembered the softness of her lips against his cheek. And now standing in his uncle's office, he stroked his cheek.

"Zuko?" Iroh questioned carefully seeing in his nephew's eyes that he was far away in his memory.

"Um…yeah?" Zuko said tearing himself and his hand away from the memory.

"Here's your money." Iroh said offering a couple of fire nation coppers.

"No uncle. I need Earth Kingdom Money." Zuko said through clenched teeth. This will make him late.

"Oh right." Iroh said going to the till on the counter. He got some money and took it over to Zuko who grabbed it, his cell, and his keys and rushed out the door without looking back. As he walked down his street towards the bus stop to wait for what jet called the 'big yellow limos', he thought he the saw the familiar shape and color of Jet's Volvo, the silver S60R but he knew that jet wouldn't come round this area unless he was going to pick up Zuko. When the bus came, he went straight to the back where Reon-Jon and Chan were sitting. They were the annoying so-called 'popular' kids but being a firebender and an Agni he was 'allowed' to sit with them. As he walked up the middle, he had to shove a small Earth Kingdom girl. She stepped back and started to shout 'Hey!' but as soon as she saw who it was her mouth snapped shut. For most of the journey, Zuko sat looking out of the window and occasionally sending flames from his palm to keep people talking to him. When Zuko stepped off the bus and walked into the parking lot to get his bearings, he spotted jet's car over the far side. Jet was holding the door open and getting out was a pair of blue eyes and a jacket with a fluffy white hood trim. He did not pause and marched straight to his form room in F (Fire) Block.

_Katara_

When they got to school, Jet held the passenger door open for Katara. Still not used to this treatment she almost fell out of the car but when she looked up, she was staring into a pair of golden eyes. 'Zuko!' she almost gasped. Katara started to smile but before the corners of her mouth had even turned up, he had stalked off. Katara's face fell and a hundred worries flooded into her like: 'What have I done to make him so angry? Surely, it can't be Jet. They don't each other! Do they?' A single tear threatened to leak from her eye and make a pathway down her cheek. She blinked it away furiously. She looked up hoping that Jet had not noticed anything.

_Jet_

Jet was oblivious. He had not even noticed that Katara almost fell out of the car let alone that Zuko had walked past and made his girlfriend almost cry. Speaking of his girlfriend that is who he was thinking about. Sort of. He was thinking about how jealous all the other guys were that he'd already snapped up the new water tribe girl.

* * *

_Katara_

For two weeks, it continued like this. Jet drove Katara to and from school, waiting for her leaning cockily on his car. Zuko would get the bus with Reon-Jon and Chan. Katara got to know the school and would sit with the 'Freedom Fighters' at lunch. Katara also made friends with some of the girls in her form; Yue a tall white haired girl who boarded at the school as she was princess of the Northern Water Tribe; Tui and La, twins named after the moon and earth spirits. They had lived in the Southern Water Tribe but after their mother died when they were, two they moved to Ba Sing Se to live with their father who ran a zoo just outside the inner wall; and a number of Earth Kingdom girls from Kyoshi Island and they trained as warriors. Suki, a kind girl with short brown hair, was their leader and Katara was quick to tell her of the name of the road where she lived. They soon became firm friends and also with a girl called Toph Bei Fong who was, though younger and blind, an earthbending superstar and had way about her that meant if you weren't a friend you worth talking to. She was a good friend to have; if anyone messed with her or her friends, they would regret ever-crossing paths with an earthbending master. Katara felt closer to these girls than she did to Smellerbee, the only girl in the 'Freedom Fighters'. They never really talked anyway as she mainly sat next to her non-talkative boyfriend, Longshot. He was a fantastic archer but never talked. Not to Katara at least. Katara would have to sit next to Jet. He would drape his arm around her shoulders and kiss her before she went off to lessons. A couple of times when she could not stand it she would hide in the loos and once got so bored she drew swirls on the back of the door.

_Zuko_

Zuko slowly opened his eyes and rolled over. He looked out the window and saw the grey clouds shadowing the city. He groaned and started to get up and realized that he felt strangely awake as if he's actually slept but he knew that last night he'd only got into his bedroom at eleven thirty. And even then, he'd stayed up until one on his laptop. Zuko glanced over at the clock and saw that he should be leaving for the bus. "Shit!" he exclaimed. Zuko picked up the Paramore t-shirt he hastily pulled off last night. He put it on with some jeans, snatched his bag from the corner, and rushed downstairs. He grabbed a handful of coins and shouted

"Bye Uncle!" towards his uncle's bedroom. He bolted out of the door and ran down the street. When he got in sight of the bus stop, he saw that there were still people waiting. He stopped panicking and slowed down and glanced at the money in his hand. It was all Fire Nation money. His stomach dropped, he would have to walk. As he turned the corner, the clouds opened let the rain fall. Zuko sighed; it was one of those days.

_Katara_

Katara was stepping out of the car and she saw that Jet could look as if he was holding the umbrella for her; she knew that he was wearing a new top that he didn't want to get wet. Katara gasped as she saw _him_! He was soaking; his hair had droplets running off down his face. His t-shirt was wet and she could see his perfectly formed six-pack. She seen his arms before but they were nothing. She realized how strong he must be. "Zuko!" she breathed. He looked up as if someone called his name but when his eyes met hers, he looked back at the floor and marched into the school. He was ignoring her like every other morning. Katara was still half way out of the car and saw that Jet was starting to notice. Katara quickly scrambled up and in doing so, her bag caught on the car and ripped, letting all of her stuff tumble out. "Shit!" she exclaimed. She grabbed a plastic that had fallen as well and started gathering up her stuff. Jet just stood there sighing. Katara grabbed her homework journal out of a nearby puddle and saw that the timetable was completely smudged. The argument she had with Sokka earlier sprang to the front of her mind. Katara sighed; it was one of those days.


	4. The Waterbending Class

Chapter 4

_Katara_

Katara walked to the office to pick up a new timetable after her diary fell in the rain; though the actual book survived the timetable ink was all smudged.

"Hello my name Joo-dee" The women sitting behind the desk had straight dark hair and a large smile that seemed to be constantly there even when she was talking, "How my I help you?"

"Oh..Um my timetable got all smudged so um please can I have a new one?" Katara asked unsure and slightly disturbed by this woman.

"Of course what is your name?" Joo-dee said, still smiling

"Katara, Katara Asul."

"Ah Ka-ta-ra." She pronounced each syllable separately as if she was programmed to do so. "Yes the headmaster got a letter from your father saying that you should have the best waterbending teacher to make up for your lack of training. ... Long Feng agreed so here is a letter to give to master Pakku." Joo-dee said picking up the papers from the printer.

"Th-thank you!" Katara was surprised that Hakoda could write a letter to her new school but couldn't pick up the phone to speak to her for...years.

"Do you know the way to the room?" Joo-dee asked. Katara was sure it was meant to be kindly but her smile meant that it was slightly creepy.

"Uh...No." Katara said truthfully but still she was still half wishing she had said yes so that Joo-dee wouldn't escort her. She had the door open and close behind her and a breath of fresh air swirled around her ankles.

"Um…Koko wasn't in today." A recognizable voice said behind her, she whirled round before thinking and there he was standing a foot away from her. He was looking down at a piece of yellow paper in his hand showing that he was on office duty which meant he was conveying messages to and from the school office. He was wearing the same top as earlier but seemed a lot drier. '_Huh?_' Katara thought confused, '_How did he get so dry?_'

As his head slowly raised Katara's breath caught in her throat and when she met his eyes her cheeks blushed a bright red. When he saw her, his right hand clenched into a fist crushing the paper.

"Ah well don't worry Zu-ko." She mispronounced Zuko's name the same way as Katara's, "Please show this young lady to waterbending class 1a."

Zuko grunted and went back out the way he came. Katara guessed that meant for her to follow.

_Zuko_

When Zuko walked into the room he hadn't even noticed that there was anyone else in there and spoke to Joo-dee without even looking. He moved his head up from the sheet in his hand to look at Joo-dee and found himself staring into a pair of light blue eyes. '_Oh shit!_' he thought as Katara's cheeks were flushed with color. When Joo-dee asked him to show Katara a room, he just grunted not trusting himself to speak.

_Katara_

Katara stood outside classroom W5, she'd past many waterbending rooms on the way, and in one, she saw many young girls of about eight learning healing. She gulped hoping her inexperience wouldn't put her as far back as that. She knocked on the door and when she heard a voice say enter from within the room she took a deep breath and stepped inside.

"And how may I help you little girl?" said a voice, saying the last to words with a hint of taunting. The voice came from a man old enough to be Katara's grandfather. He was wearing northern style water tribe clothing and had long white hair and a mustache with a small beard though he was bald on top. His gray eyes pierced Katara's as he waited for an answer.

"Um I'm supposed to be in this class." Katara said nervously. A few boys snickered at this remark. When Katara looked at the class, she realized they were _all_ boys. "I…err…have a note from the headmaster." She tried to force some confidence into her voice.

"Well bring it here." Pakku said with a note of impatience.

Katara walked up to the front of the class trying desperately to not trip over her own feet. Pakku took the note and read it quietly for a minute. Katara fiddled with her grandmother's necklace nervously as the boys sat staring as her silently. Finally, Pakku turned around and made a seat out of the snow that covered the floor. As did so, he said,

"I'm sorry I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding." He sat down, "The headmaster didn't tell me you were a girl. In my tribe it is **forbidden** for women to learn waterbending." Katara stared at him in disbelief.

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" she marched up to him saying, "I didn't travel across the world so you could tell me no!"

"No!" he said bluntly. The boys still stared.

"But the must be other female waterbenders!" Katara stated hands on hips.

"The women learn to use their waterbending to heal. And I'm sure one of the classes would be happy to take you in despite your bad attitude."

"I don't want to heal I want to **fight!**" Katara flung her hands out in anger.

"I have to follow my tribe's customs and **rules!**" Pakku replied still sitting on his chair of ice and snow.

"Well your rules stink! You!... You big jerk!" And with that she stormed out of the room.

After she stormed out Katara didn't go to any waterbending classes and just practiced as much as she could at home and when she was wandering the school alone during the classes. The week after the incident Katara was called to the headmaster's office where she found Long Feng and Paku, as well as the other heads of bending, sitting on a tiered platform. Sokka was with her to, being her guardian. Seeing all these teachers in front of her Katara suddenly felt very small and unimportant. She gulped.

"What do you want me to do? Force master Pakku to teach you?" Long Feng boomed.

"Yes." Katara said bluntly then she thought for a second, "Please."

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him." Long Feng continued. Katara looked at her feet, ashamed.

"Fine" She said with a glare

"I'm waiting little girl" Pakku said with a sly smile.

"NO!" Katara screamed, "No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" she flung her hands behind her out in anger breaking to nearby vases by accidentally bending the water out of them. "I'll be outside if your man enough to fight me!" she said pointing angrily at Pakku. Many of the teachers gasped in shock, Pakku just frowned. Katara marched out. One of Katara's other teachers, who was sitting there, said,

"I'm sure she didn't mean that."

"Yeah I think she did." Sokka replied, hands in his pockets. Then he turned and was following Katara down the steps struggling to keep up with his younger sister. "Are you crazy Katara? You're not going to win this fight!" he said but she just took off her jacket and flung it in his face.

"I know. I don't care!" she replied still marching. "Some one needs to slap some sense into that guy!" They'd reached the bottom of the stairs. Katara turned around and saw Pakku at the top. "So you decided to show up?" she asked him. He just walked calmly down and ignored her. "Aren't you gonna fight?" she asked angrily but all he said was:

"Go to the healing rooms with the other girls where you belong." Katara grabbed a waterwhip from a pond nearby and hit his neck. Pakku stopped.

"Fine!" he said, turning round, "You want to learn to fight so bad? Study closely!" he finished with a glare. He took the water from two nearby pools and swirled them around himself. Katara ran round to fight but he just pushed the water towards her and lifted her up. She landed nimbly on her feet and one hand with a grunt. Pakku started swirling the water around encasing him and Katara in a circle of rushing water.

"Don't worry," he said moving his hands to keep the water going, "I'm not going to hurt you." The water was pushing Katara further and further towards him and she was almost tripping over her own feet. Suddenly she flung her arm out and bended the water away. It went towards the nearby crowd that had gathered to watch. Everyone dodged. Except Sokka.

"Ow!" he exclaimed as the water hurled him away. Katara ran towards Pakku again but he used the water on the floor to create a wave of ice. Katara just slid up it and did a forward flip to land on a podium at the bottom of the stairs. Pakku melted the ice 'wave' and flung it towards Katara but using the water on the podium she twisted her feet and froze them in place while bending the water around her.

"You can't knock me down" she said forcefully to Pakku. Meanwhile the crowd at the top of the stairs had grown larger and they cheered. Someone shouted,

"Go Katara!" She didn't bother to find out who and jumped down from the podium. She ran towards Pakku who created an ice barrier, which she knocked down and started trying to punch him but he dodged. Then using the water that was his ice barrier he swirled it behind him and picked up Katara to plop her into the nearest pool. He smiled at his victory. But Katara emerged and shook off the water. The kids at the top cheered and some were dancing with happiness. Katara pulled up a round cylinder of ice and flicked slices of it at Pakku who just broke them with his arms. One came so near his face that even as he leaned back he saw his reflection. He looked at Katara with an odd expression on his face. By this time, Katara was out of the pool and on her feet, she was whirling water around and hurling at Pakku.

"Ugh!" she exhaled but he just bended it to his advantage picking up more and more water. He created a wave behind him and as Katara began to run towards him, he pushed all the water out at her. She gasped and before she had time to even stop, the water was upon her. She picked up by the force of the water and knocked back right to the bottom of the stairs. People in the crowd glanced at each other anxiously. She exhaled slowly and a cloud of warm breath came out then in a blink of an eye, she was up on her feet. She caused the two towers of ice pots behind Pakku to fall upon him. He stopped them easily in cloud of ice particles, turning them into snow.

"Well" he said, "I'm impressed, you're an excellent water bender." By this time, Katara's hair was coming loose and was falling onto her face.

"But you still won't teach me will you." Katara said more as a statement than a question.

"No!" he said glaring yet again. Katara picked up some water and flung it towards him.

"Ugh!" She exclaimed. The ice rolled up to try to knock Pakku over. But he created a tall ice tower to avoid it. He melted it and rode a wave gaining fast on Katara. She directed a stream of water to disrupt the wave's path. Pakku just froze the water instead, sliding along it. As he came round to Katara, he knocked her off her feet. Her necklace went flying but Katara neither cared nor noticed. Pakku whirled around and landed nimbly on the edge of the pool of water while Katara feel on her face, her long brown hair had come out of its neat plait. She looked up at Pakku breathing quickly. Pakku bended the water from the pool into a tall, towering tornado which turned into a spiral directly above Katara. He then froze the water into tens of ice shards to encase Katara where she stood. The crowd looked on in disbelief. Katara glanced up and started struggling and grunting to try to escape her icy cage.

"This fight is over" Pakku stated walking away from Katara.

"Come back here! I'm not finished yet!" Katara yelled to Pakku's back.

"Yes you are" Pakku said continuing to walk away. Then he looked down and suddenly stopped. "Huh!" he gasped he bent down to pick up Katara's necklace, which had come off in the fight "This is my necklace." He said holding it up for inspection. His face softened when his hands grabbed either end.

"No it's not! It's mine, give back!" Katara shouted from her icy prison still struggling to get out. Her hair loopies were dangling in front of her face. Pakku seemed to ignore her and continued. "I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life." Pakku looked up now seemingly staring into the horizon but it was obvious that his mind was elsewhere, in the past, "For Kanna." The ice javelins melted around Katara; freeing her she looked at her hands then looked up saying,

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?"

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged" Pakku said with a touch of sadness, "I thought we'd have a long happy life together." He continued then looking down at the necklace again, he said, "I loved her" Katara looked at him suddenly feeling sympathetic for the old man.

"But she didn't love you did she?" she said "It was an arranged marriage" she looked at Pakku as he turned his head and started to walk forward. "Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribes stupid customs run her life" Katara continued as Pakku looked at the floor, ashamed. "That's why she left! It must have taken a lot of courage" Katara said the last part thoughtfully as Pakku clutched the necklace to his chest.

"Ok" he said after a moment shocking the whole crowd.

"W-what?" Katara stammered.

"I guess you're right," He sighed giving her the necklace, "They are silly customs. I suppose you can learn. You could make a good waterbender with-"

"Oh really!" Katara almost screamed, "Thank you master Pakku! Do you really think so?" Pakku frowned down at her and she stopped dancing around.

"As I was saying, you _could_ make a good waterbender _with_ lots of hard work." He said. Then Katara slowly walked away until she was out of sight, only then did she jumped in the air and shout: "YES!"


	5. The Accident

**So this chapter is really short sorry! but it's because Chapters 3, 4 & 5 were all originally chapter 3 but it was so long it thought it would probably bore half of you to death (and i really don't want to be responsible!)**

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Chapter 5

_Katara_

Exactly three weeks after the day in the cafe, Katara was walking across the parking lot and she spotted Jet, already by his car. He always had a free period before school ended so was always there before her but today Katara had had a cover teacher for maths so he'd let them go early as he couldn't control the class, especially as most were benders. Katara had a lot of fun freezing the sweat droplets into icicles on the end of his nose. Katara bounded up her face beaming until she got close enough to see what he was doing. She stopped and stared for a minute before slowly walking up to him. He was looking away.

"Jet?"

His head snapped round, his hand reached round his shoulders towards the handles of his hook swords. Then he saw who it was.

"Oh hey babes."

"Jet what are you doing?" Katara said sadly, trying to believe what she was seeing wasn't true. Tears started brimming up her eyes but she tried to blink them away.

"Oh this?" he said waving his right hand, "It's nothing baby."

"Nothing! How can call it NOTHING?" Tears were now streaming down her face; Jet was bringing back painful memories she thought she'd buried deep in her mind. "Do you realize how bad it is for you? I can't believe you didn't tell me! Why would you keep that a secret!" Katara buried her face in her hands trying to smother the sobs.

"Whoa! Calm down Kat!" Jet said suddenly frightened of his screaming girlfriend. "Everyone's staring!"

'He's right.' Katara thought looking around.

"Anyway," Jet continued, "Smoking isn't _that_ bad for me!" He casually said.

"That's it. I can't go out with you anymore." She said slowly backing away shaking her head. "I thought you'd understand but I was wrong. Good-bye Jet." With that, she turned around and ran her plait flying out behind her. She heard Jet's voice shouting at her,

"You'll just come running back Katara!"

'No!' he thought desperately with her eyes closed, shaking her head, and 'I'll _never_ go back to you!' Sudden she tripped over a hidden obstacle. She felt herself falling. A sharp pain in her arm. A voice: "KATARA!"

Darkness.

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So what do you think has happened to Katara? Who shouted her name? Was it Jet or someone else? Oh and one more thing: _**REVIEW!**_


	6. The Emergency Room

**I am so sorry I haven't updated in so long! Life caught up with me but as soon as I read all my reviews I realized that I was letting you down. Also, hoping you, as my readers(I can't believe I can say that!) are Zutara fans so you'll forgive me that I've been working on my Zutara week story! So after this chapter no more *sob sob* until after Zutara week *woop woop* *cheer*(at least i hope that's your reactions :))**

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Chapter 6: The Emergency Room

_Katara_

The bumping woke Katara up. It was the first thing noticed, quickly followed by the pain in her arm and the back of her head. She kept her eyes closed and breathed through clenched teeth to stop herself from yelling out at the pain. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw someone was holding her and running. She felt the strong arms under her legs and back. Her right arm was pressed against their warm muscular chest. She looked up at the face above her and saw a mass of dark shaggy hair and a red scar covering one side of his face. 'Zuko!' She thought. Katara opened her mouth and tried to speak,

"What?...What hap-"

"Shh." Zuko said, "I'll tell you later just let me get you to the car."

"Ok." She said gratefully and settled instead for staring at his face to distract her from the pain. She looked, trying to store and remember every last detail. When they got the car, Zuko somehow managed to get the key out of his pocket, unlock the car, and open the door hardly jostling Katara at all. He sat her in the passenger seat then slid **(actually slid!)** over the bonnet in movie style grace. He got in the drivers side and started the engine all in one swift movement. As he, reversed Katara fumbled with the seat belt. She moved her left arm without thinking which was lying in her lap but gasped and bent forward as tears sprang to her eyes at the pain.

"Are you okay?" Zuko said as he swerved to overtake at speed. He glanced over at her through the corner of one eye.

"Yeah. I'm fine I just tried to use...," she pointed to her left arm. Katara then lent back worn out from saying just that. 'What's the matter with me?' she thought. She wanted to know what had happened but was too tired to ask. Zuko, seeming to read her mind, said,

"You fell down a hole in the parking lot." Katara just gaped as if to say, 'A hole?' Zuko explained,

"A workman's hole. Gas or something. He glanced at her again before concentrating on the road. "You hit your head and broke your arm. I don't know how bad but..." he trailed off.

"Hmm.." was all Katara said before staring out the window. 'Why is he being this nice to me all of a sudden when ever since school started he has been blanking me?' She thought, puzzled.

Eventually they arrived at the hospital. Zuko shut off the engine, got out and rushed round to the passenger side before Katara had even started to open the door. Zuko opened it and bent down to pick her up again. She glared at him and said,

"I'm fine! I _can_ walk!" Zuko did not argue and straightened up offering out just one hand. Katara ignored it as she stood, completely stable and frowned at Zuko as if to say, 'See, I'm _fine_!' though her legs felt like jelly. She tried to take a step forward but fumbled. Zuko saw her body start to sink and rushed forward to catch her. She glared but was secretly glad he was there. She let him support her as she hobbled in to the ER. Her ankle felt like it was sprained but not broken, she hoped.

"It'll be fine," Zuko, said inclining his head towards her ankle.

"Hmm!" was all Katara said, angrily.

They walked through the doorway and Zuko sat Katara down in a hard plastic chair and said,

"I'll just go and sign you in." Katara nodded and he walked up to the desk. Even though she was still angry with him, Katara watched Zuko go looking at his broad shoulders remembering how he had carried her earlier and the way his muscles had felt against her body. Eventually a nurse showed Katara to a ward with curtains separating each bed. A doctor checked her head for lumps and said her ankle badly sprained so she would be on crutches. Then he ordered an x-ray for her arm. Zuko went off to get some hot drinks. A small smiling face popped round the curtain and brightly said,

"Hello!" Katara was so shocked that all she could do was utter a surprised,

"Hi!" For a while the face stayed there hovering. Katara took in the brown eyes, shaven head, and blue arrow. 'Airbender' she thought,

"Um, come in." she said after a few seconds of awkward silence. The airbender practically skipped over to Katara saying,

"Hi, I'm Aang!" Katara realized with a shock that the young childlike face was in fact, a boy. "You're Katara right?" She slowly nodded,

"Do I know you?" she asked hesitantly.

"No," he said, "But everyone knows you."

"What?" Katara almost shouted. She had only been in Ba Sing Se for a month and already she was the talk of the school.

"Well you're Jet's girlfriend so-"

"NO!" Katara interrupted. She looked at Aang's scared shocked face. "Sorry. I mean- I'm not Jet's girlfriend. Not anymore." Tears sprang to her eyes as she remembered why she was here. She looked away staring at the wall to hide her tears from Aang. She heard the curtains rustling and footsteps. She looked round to see Zuko putting a bottle of water and foam cup of coffee on the table at the end of her bed. He lifted his head, took one look at Katara's tear stained cheek and turned on Aang demanding,

"What have you done? What have you said to make her cry?" He was towering over Aang now, pushing him into the corner.

"No, Zuko! He didn't do anything!" Katara yelled at Zuko but he wasn't listening. Aang was stuttering now,

"I-I-I don't know..." Katara could see he was on the verge of tears. She scrambled out of bed and gasped when she stood her sprained ankle. But she hobbled forward, holding her left, broken, arm against her body. She held her right hand out edging towards Zuko who was saying,

"Don't lie! You know what you did!"

"I really don't!" Aang said trying to get away from Zuko. Katara was inches away from touching Zuko's clenched fist.

"Arrgh!" Zuko exclaimed opening his hands and fire shot out of them straight into Katara's palm.

"Ah!" she shouted then stepped backwards cradling her hand. But she stepped onto her sprained ankle, which immediately gave way, and she ended up on the floor sobbing gently.

"Katara? I'm so sorry!" she looked up and saw Zuko reaching forward.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed. Zuko looked surprised and hurt, "Just get OUT!"

Zuko stalked out angrily pushing the curtains out of the way. Katara watched him with glaring eyes. Aang grabbed the water bottle unscrewed it and gently said to Katara,

"Hold out your hand" Katara did silently as Aang poured water onto the burns. She bended the water to stay on her hand and felt the familiar coolness flow round her body. The water glowed blue for a second then the burns began to fade. Katara stared at her hand in amazement.

"Wow!" Aang uttered, "You're a healer!"

"A what?" Katara asked looking up at Aang's face.

"You can use waterbending to heal. They're very rare!" he explained.

"Wow" Katara muttered looking at her hand to her broken arm. She bended the water onto her left arm and thought desperately of the bone knitting back together. Though the healing cooled the sharp pain in her arm, it still felt broken. She sighed and bended the water back into the bottle. Katara started to get up and Aang was there helping her. She was really tired and realized how much healing had taken it out of her. Just before she fell asleep, she realized she had no idea why Aang was at the hospital.

_Zuko_

Zuko stormed out of the curtains fuming and went into the waiting room of the ER where he paced. Angrily. He was angry at himself at how he'd let himself get so easily out of control but he was also...hurt. Hurt by the look of fear in Katara's eyes as he tried to comfort her. Zuko paced for a while. Eventually he was calm enough to realize how tiring pacing was so he sat down on a nearby plastic hospital chair. But not for long. He saw something small in orange and yellow out the corner of his eye. Aang. Coming down from Katara's bed. Zuko hopped up and managed to hide in a dark corner behind the water cooler. He was sorry he shouted at Aang but he wasn't ready to face him. Not yet. Zuko watched Aang leave the waiting room into the bright sunshine. Zuko then crept out and went back the way Aang had come. He opened the curtains slowly and saw Katara fast asleep. He went in and sat on the chair beside the bed, head in hands. He sighed, looked up, and saw Katara's right hand, perfect. No signs of a burn. Before he could even begin to think what could of happened. The doctor came through the curtains pushing with some electrical machine.

"Hello" he said, "I've got this portable x-ray machine so if you could...ah!" he stopped, seeing that Katara was asleep. "Oh well we can still do this." The doctor quickly and efficiently x-rayed the arm and put it in a cast. Zuko chose a light blue color for the outside. This all happened while Katara slept. Zuko thought Katara would waking up to him there so he left a note explaining that Aang had left, what the doctor had done and how sorry he was and if she never wanted to see him again he understood. He put it on the pillow by her sleeping face, then on impulse bent and gently kissed her forehead. Katara moved slightly in her sleep and sighed happily. Then Zuko got out quickly in case she woke up.

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**And just in case you're wondering: It _was_ Zuko who shouted, "Katara!" :D**


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